Review of Barracuda (2017) by Zmok — 09 Jan 2017

"All your jazz heroes, they were revolutionaries. But how do you expect to keep jazz live if you're such a traditionalist?".

This quote drives what Damien Chazelle and the people behind La La Land managed to accomplish. La La Land has the nostalgic charms and beauty of musical theater, was uncompromising in qualities that define and is celebrated in traditional musicals. La La Land didn't just bring traditional musical theatre to film, it used film to take musical theatre to another level. La La Land overcame the shortcomings and limitations of theatre with film. Imaginative gorgeous aesthetics, excellent unobtrusive storytelling, impeccable directing, precise pacing, magnificent performances by the leads.. What makes La La Land work so well for me is that amidst the romanticized nature of musical storytelling and visuals, the story of the film is grounded in harsh reality. La La Land beautifully celebrates idealism to deliver a greater impact when reality hits.

For me, as someone who loves the imaginative liberality of animations, emotional impacts of musicals and enchanting fantasy of art that leaves you at the mercy of its creators, La La Land is the pinnacle of a movie going experience so far in my life.